“No way,” Orrin gasped as he quickly pressed the Yes button.

Confirm: Decrease Target’s Constitution by 10

Yes or No

“Yes!”

Orrin felt a rush of power surge through his body and out toward Samara. She stumbled and her eyes went wide in fear.

“What have you done to me?” She screamed and looked between the two standing members of the rescue squad and Daniel.

Daniel and Brandt exchanged a quizzical look and attacked. Not missing a chance to get within her guard, Brandt slashed at one whip as it fell at him. He pushed that cut into a pirouette, spinning and stabbing at the leader of the kidnappers. Daniel tried to do the same but his larger sword was easier for Samara’s whip to grab. Luckily with his increased strength, Daniel was able to rip the entire whip from her hand.

Brandt’s backstroke hit Samara and broke the skin, slicing a narrow rend in her armor. The smallest trickle of blood-stained her outfit. Brandt spun again but Samara used her empty hand to swat the man’s shoulder. His controlled spin careened into a windmill and Brandt landed hard on his ass.

Daniel thrashed his sword in the air twice to dislodge the stolen whip and came in too late to stop the hit on Brandt. He swung Gertrude with the blade horizontal to the group and connected with Samara’s stomach.

She didn’t fall in two pieces like her comrade had but was buffeted backward against another try. Unlike the first time, she was slow to push herself out of the dented wood. Her free hand held her side and she coughed blood.

Orrin missed it all.

When the rush of power had left his body, darting toward Samara in a blaze, it also rebounded on the caster. Orrin felt like he’d been kicked in the balls, stabbed behind the eyes, and sucker punched in the stomach all at once. He didn’t need to open his status to realize what had happened. He could feel it in his bones. After he raised his head off the ground where he had fallen over, he pulled his status up anyway.

Orrin

Utility Warder

HP: 80/80

MP: 28/530

Strength: 9

Constitution: 8

Dexterity: 9

Willpower: 28

Intelligence: 11

What the fuck? Why did my health go down to 80? Wait, why did my Constitution go down to eight? Orrin panicked and stared at his status, ignoring the battle raging around him.

“You did this,” Samara growled and pointed at Orrin with a blood stained hand. Daniel’s hit had done some actual damage. “Give it back. I worked too hard to give up my stats. That wasn’t some measly spell to lock down my Strength. That did something to me. Undo it now!”

“Honey, I think you’re forgetting about me,” Daniel chided and pointed the length of his massive sword at her. “Care to go again?”

Samara reached her hand slightly down and between Orrin and Daniel. Daniel didn’t take his eyes off her but Orrin noticed the fallen whip began to wiggle on the ground.

“D! The whip! Look-“ Orrin had time to get out before the vine levitated and struck Daniel from behind, wrapping around his neck and pulling him back toward the still stunned form of Brandt. “-out,” Orrin finished weakly.

Samara advanced on him. Orrin scrambled backward and got to his feet. His sword had fallen further forward when he’d momentarily blacked out from whatever he’d done and he quickly summoned an icy sword.

“Stay back or I’ll do it again,” he threatened. Samara’s steps faltered.

“Undo what you did and I’ll let you leave here alive.” Her voice was hard and Orrin didn’t believe her for a second. “Or I’ll take my chance at the spell being broken by your death.”

“It’s no spell,” a familiar voice said into Orrin’s mind. He sighed with relief. Tony continued, “Leave now, Samara Jako, hidden Agent of Lord Wendeln, or Orrin will reduce you to dust. You’ve lost.”

Orrin couldn’t see Tony and pulled up his [Map]. There.Orrin peered toward the tree line and could just make out the old man leaning his back against a tree.

Unfortunately, Samara had the presence of mind to follow Orrin’s gaze. “I’ve always told my Lord you should have been killed ages ago.” She snapped her final whip and it straightened like a spear. With a two-step lunge, Samara launched the vine whip-spear at Tony.

“No,” Orrin tried to dash forward and hit the spear with his sword but Samara reached out and grabbed him around the neck. He hacked down with his sword, but he didn’t have Daniel’s strength. The ice chipped and cracked as he hit her again and again.

Orrin watched the whip sail through the air, twisting with a life of its own. It hit the tree Tony stood behind and broke the bark in a shower of splinters and earth. The impaled figure of his friend stood straight for only a moment as the dust settled and then slumped over.

Orrin’s screams turned into a gargle as Samara squeezed. Daniel was clawing at his neck too. He was strong enough to rip the whip off but it was quickly looping around him over and over. Brandt was up and trying to get to him but Samara was already cocking her right hand back. Orrin held no doubt that a single punch from her would go through his skull.

“Again,” he croaked.

Confirm: Decrease Target’s Constitution by 10

Yes or No

Yes.

The pain was worse this time. He’d landed on his own broken ice sword and it had cut his arm. But Samara had dropped him. The second decrease in her Constitution had dropped her already low health to her breaking point. She gagged on blood as it bubbled from her lips.

“Give it back,” she murmured. “Please. I can’t die like this.” She reached out toward Orrin. He couldn’t tell if she meant to hurt him or if the gesture was in supplication.

Brandt’s sword cut into her face as he swung in an upward strike, taking off half her head in the motion.

The fight was done. Daniel was safe.

Orrin watched leaves fall as he closed his eyes.

“What did he do to her?”

“I don’t know. That wasn’t the normal debuffs. Mr. Anthony, do you have any idea?”

“Ask him, he’s waking up now.” Tony’s gentle whisper helped Orrin open his eyes. “Welcome back. How are you feeling?”

“I’m starving,” Orrin muttered and tried to sit up. He got one hand underneath himself and then toppled back over. “What the hell?”

“Orrin,” Tony’s voice said delicately. “Open your status.”

Orrin went to open his status but then remembered.

“You died! I saw her throw a spear vine thing right through the tree and kill you,” Orrin almost shouted. His ears rang with the loudness of his voice.

“I let her see what she wanted to see,” Tony’s calm voice entered his head again. Orrin felt a twinge of something else in the words.

“Are you casting something on me?”

Tony’s smirk, like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, told Orrin everything he needed to know. “Quit it.”

Tony shrugged and stood up. “I’ll go help the rest wake up. That whip attack had a strong tranquilizer in it. We might have to call for help bringing them back if I can’t get them all out.”

He dusted his hands on his pants and walked away. Brandt and Daniel stayed crouched near Orrin.

“Orrin, that whip bitch-“

“Samara,” Orrin interrupted.

“Sure,” Daniel continued. “Samara. She started yelling at you right before you went down. What did you do? New spell?”

Orrin opened his mouth and closed it again. He glanced at Brandt. “Where’s Jude? Is he alive still?”

Daniel waved a hand to his right. “His body is over there somewhere. He’s probably dead. Tell me what happened.”

Orrin shook his head and crawled to his feet. His balance was off so he summoned a sword. He used the icy weapon as a cane and balanced as he hobbled toward the bodies all around. Most of the guards that had come with them had small growths on their arms or chests.

“What are those?” he asked as he made his way through the battlefield.

Brandt stuck close while Daniel went to pester Tony for answers instead. “When Samara used her whip, those struck would go down after a few seconds. Anthony says it’s some sort of seed that she planted inside them. It was the same for those struck at the Catanzano house. They’ll wake up when their bodies fight it off or sooner if we can dig them out.”

At the mention of Catanzano, Orrin’s head jerked around. “Where’s Madi? Is she okay?”

Brandt nodded and pointed. Madi was holding a wad of white cloth to her head as she sat against a tree. “Jude hit her from behind. Luckily, not hard enough for any permanent damage. Just enough to knock her out.”

Orrin almost went to Madi first, but he continued to his other target.

Jude.

The man’s body hadn’t been touched. His side was split open and viscera was oozing out. The final grimace on his face still displayed traces of his cocky smile but Orrin could see a deeper pain there as well.

“I’m sorry,” Orrin whispered.

“I had to. He was a traitor,” Brandt said stoically. Orrin didn’t mention the tears in the man’s eyes.

“I meant I’m sorry we didn’t figure it out. Sorry we couldn’t save him too,” Orrin explained. “I’m sorry to you too. Can we save his family?”

Brandt stood straight. “I’m...not sure. Politics are in play now. Lord Catanzano will need to know as soon as possible.”

Orrin frowned.

“But I’ll do everything in my power, even if I have to storm Wendeln’s house myself.”

Orrin smiled and thumped the taller man on his shoulder. “You won’t be alone.”

He finally pulled up his status.

Orrin

Utility Warder

HP: 66/70

MP: 184/380

Strength: 9

Constitution: 7

Dexterity: 9

Willpower: 28

Intelligence: 11

Fuck. Ok. So, that’s something I never want to use again. Orrin shivered at the phantom pain running through his body. He used his makeshift cane to hobble back to Madi. Checking her over as he approached, he sighed in relief. She’d be fine.

She glared at him as he got close, “I heard you did something stupid and dangerous again. You took out Wendeln’s Agent?”

Orrin’s confused look made Madi laugh. “You have no idea who she was do you?”

“You did?” Orrin slumped down next to her and moved her hand. The little blood on the bandages seemed old. The bleeding had stopped.

“Not until Tony shouted it out. Each Lord can appoint an Agent as part of the power contract with the city. It’s sort of a... Brandt? Help me?”

“An Agent is a spymaster, bodyguard, hitman, and enforcer all rolled into one. They are given a portion of the Lord’s powers to impose the Lord’s orders.”

“Does Silas have one?” Orrin asked.

Brandt and Madi didn’t respond. The silence had the awkward feel of a stupid question.

“What?”

Brandt tossed a sympathetic glance at Madi and answered. “Lady Catazano was his only Agent. He never appointed another.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Can you lot stop dithering about and help?” Tony’s voice came back with his normal demanding tone. “The longer these seeds stay in this lot, the harder it’ll be for them to walk back unaided.”

Orrin glanced over just as Tony dug a dagger into the leg of one of the mages and pulled out a glowing green stone. No, it was a seed about the size of an acorn. “Unless you all want to carry them back.”

Orrin’s dizziness was fading as he made his way to another guard. He spotted his sword on the way and let the icy summon fall to the side. Brandt stayed by Madi.

Daniel joined him. “Anthony said to just cut an ‘x’ and pick out the seed with the tip of a knife. Most of the guards should be able to heal without a scar.”

Orrin nodded and looked at his friend. Daniel was practically dancing in his attempt to not ask the questions on his mind. “I’ll tell you about it later. I promise.”

He found the first raised wound on Alysha, the fighter with the big shield. The whip had struck her on the top of her unprotected head.

Fighting sucks but this is worse. Orrin made the cut and flicked the small seed out. Alysha’s breathing grew less ragged. Who’s next?